Folding table.



an Janie.

RALPH A. NESMITI-I AND WILLIAM HUGH SIBBALD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FOLDING TABLE.

Application filed NovemberlS, 1916.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, RALPH 'A. -NESMITH and lVILLIAM HUGH SIBBALD, citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding tables; and it is an object hereof to provide a sim ple, light folding table which is strong and rigid when set up and which may be folded into a small bundle.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following specification, wherein we describe a preferred form of our device embodying our invention. we illustrate said form of device in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an end elevation of the table set up; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portions of the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the table when the legs are folded; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the table showing the legs folded; and Fig. 5 is a plan of a side edge of the table, showing the parts in their position when folded.

In the drawings we show a table top 10, which is flexible, being preferably made up of a plurality of slats 11, which may be flexibly connected together in any suitable manner, as by canvas strips 12 which extend transversely under the slats and to which the slats are secured in any usual or suitable manner. However the flexible top is constructed it is only necessary that it have rigid or stiff side strips or slats 11 The legs 13 are hinged at 14 to the side slats 11, one leg to each end of each one of the opposite side slats. The legs are hinged so as to be folded up under the side slats to the position shown in Fig. 3, each leg being cut out as shown at 15 in Fig. 2 so that the legs may overlap as shown in Fig. 3 when they are folded. Then the legs are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, their upper ends 16 bear upwardly against the slats, the legs being thus limited from further outward movement. To place the legs in position we provide a pair of braces on each side of the table, one brace 17 being pivotally connected to each leg at 18. The braces are slotted as shown at 19 and the slots engage a bolt 20 set in the slat 11*, a thumb nut 21 being provided for setting the braces and legs in position.- The outer ends Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1917.

Serial No. 130,973.

of the slots 19 are turned up as shown at 19, so that the braces drop down slightly when they reach the position shown in Fig. 2, causing the upper ends of the braces to come down flush with the top of the table and preventing the inward movement of the braces. One of the braces of each pair is offset, as shown at 22, so that they fold one within the other, as shown in Fig. 5.

Each of the legs 13 has a recess 25 cut in its upper end, and edge supporting strips 26 enter these recesses as shown in Fig. 1. These edge supporting strips are thereby supported directly under the ends of the slats 11, thereby supporting the ends of the slats and making the slats form a rigid, fiat table top. The edge supporting strips 26 each have a pair of braces 27 pivoted to it at 28; and these braces are detachably connected to the legs 13 by having notches 29 which fit over bolts 30 on the legs, thumb nuts 31 being provided for setting the braces rigidly in place.

It will be seen'that when this table is set up, it is rigid in all directions; the top being rigidly supported, and the legs being braced in all directions. When it is desired to fold the table, it is preferably first turned over the braces 27 are released, the edge supporting strips 26 removed, braces 27 being folded back against the edge supporting strips. The thumb nuts 21 are next loosened, and the legs 13 folded up to the positions indicated in Fig. 3. This having been done, the flexible top may be rolled up into a compact bundle, the edge supporting strips 26 and braces 27 being rolled into the bundle. This is done by placing an end strip next the folded legs at each side, then rolling the top around the folded legs and end strips, rolling the top in from each side in two rolls to meet at the center. This bundle is comparatively small and relatively light. The table may be put to any usage where it is desired to have a rigid and light collapsible table.

Having described a preferred form of our invention, we claim:

1. A folding table, embodying a flexible top having stiff side strips at opposite sides, legs hinged one at each corner of the top to said side strips, said legs having recesses at their upper ends, and edge strips for supporting the flexible top along its opposite edges, said edge strips engaging at their ends in said leg recesses, braces connected betWeen the legs and the side strips, and braces connected between the edge strips and the le s.

2. A folding table, embodying a flexible top composed of parallel slats flexibly secured together, legs hinged one to each end of the tWo outermost slats so as to fold up under said slats, braces pivoted to said legs and slidingly connected With said slats, means to set said braces, the upper end of each leg having a recess directly under the slats, two edge strips adapted to fit into said recesses and to support the ends of the slats, and braces pivoted to the edge strips and releasably connected with the legs.

In Witness that We claim the foregoing We have hereunto subscribed our names this 6th day of November 1916.

RALPH A. NESMITH. WVILLIAM HUGH SIB-BALD. Witness:

ELWooD H. BARKELEW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

